"Well, you see..." Tanaka then smiled.

Tanaka's expression brightened as he finally spoke, "I believe Rose of Vermillion is a great candidate for next month's Hikari Monthly Magazine. It has some mainstream elements, but the overall plot is captivating. I'd like you two to work on polishing the writing and creating a few illustrations for it by Saturday. I know that the deadline's a bit tight, but it's only for this month because Kurotsuki-sensei here decided to make a new project with such impeccable timing."

"Sorry about that," Keiyu said with a light chuckle.

Tanaka then handed the draft manuscripts back to Keiyu and reminded him to ensure the writing was of the highest quality. "And remember to guide Pinkie-san with the illustrations, helping her decide which scenes need to be brought to life visually. But please, make sure not to overwork her."

With a smile, Keiyu turned to me and answered Tanaka, "Of course I won't,"

We then stood up, and with that, our meeting with Tanaka concluded, and the three of us left the meeting room together. Keiyu and I headed back to the elevator, and as we began our descent to the lobby, I let out a sigh of relief.

"You did great, Pinkie-san," Keiyu said reassuringly, noticing my relief.

"T-Thank you, I couldn't have done it without your guidance," I responded with a small smile.

"You made this possible with the help of your own efforts. Give yourself a pat on the back," he replied as he smiled back.

As we reached the lobby, Keiyu returned the pass to the receptionist and then turned to me. "Pinkie-san, how about we celebrate with dinner together at a nearby cafe? It'll be my treat."

I blushed at his offer but accepted it gratefully, "Ah, if it's okay with you, Kurotsuki-sensei."

Keiyu then tilted his head and asked a question, "Won't your parents worry if you stay out too late?"

At the mention of my parents, I frowned, remembering the strained relationship I had with them. I hesitantly answered, "I live alone, and even if I lived with my parents, I doubt they would be waiting for me."

Keiyu noticed the tone in my voice and immediately apologized for his insensitive question. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up a difficult subject."

I reassured him that it was okay. "N-No, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

As we walked, I could barely hear Keiyu whisper under his breath, "So you too, huh?" Hearing it made me wonder about his own family situation, but of course, I didn't want to pry.

With the time now past 6 PM, we continued and took a short walk down the city sidewalks until we arrived at the cafe Keiyu had mentioned. Upon entering, a staff member guided us to an empty table.

"Just pick out anything you want to eat, Ayase," Keiyu encouraged me.

"O-Okay, umm... anything?" I asked, feeling slightly overwhelmed by his generosity.

Keiyu nodded reassuringly, "Yes, anything you want."

I scanned the menu and finally decided on beef curry and asked for just water for my beverage. "T-Then, I'll have this if it's okay with you."

Keiyu smiled warmly. "Sure thing," he said, then called for the waiter and placed our orders. He then ordered a plate of spaghetti carbonara and a cup of coffee for himself.

As we waited for our orders to arrive, Keiyu looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking up. "Hey, uhh," he began, "Do you think we should stop referring to each other by our aliases? I think it'd be better if we use our surnames from now on."

I nodded in agreement, besides, it's something embarrassing to have someone call you your online username in public, "I-I've actually been thinking about it for a while now, Kurumizawa-san."

"I know, right? It feels more natural this way, Imaizumi-san." He said with a smile.

And just like that, he was no longer just "Kurotsuki-sensei" to me, but a gentle someone named "Keiyu Kurumizawa". Just as how I'm no longer just "Pinkie-san" to him, but rather a person named "Ayase Imaizumi".

Now that I think about it...

"Kurumizawa-san, I've been wondering... I feel like something's off with your full name. I'm almost certain it was different back in middle school. Did it change, or am I just misremembering?"

Keiyu smiled as he replied, although I could notice a slight hint of pain behind it, "You're right. My name used to be Keiyu Takenaka. But after my father passed away and my mother remarried, I took on my stepfather's surname, Kurumizawa."

"O-Oh... I see," My eyes widened as I was surprised by his revelation, and instantly, I felt a coursing wave of sympathy within me. "I-I'm sorry to hear about your father, and for being insensitive..."

"It's alright, it's not your fault," He nodded, his eyes showing a hint of sadness. "Can't do anything about it now that it's all in the past, can we?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so, I'm still... sorry about it," I frowned, but Keiyu was quick to change the atmosphere and smiled warmly, this time, it felt like he hid his pain completely just to give me such a smile.

"It's okay, Imaizumi-san," He spoke softly.

A few more minutes later our food finally arrived, and we dug in the moment we did, enjoying our celebratory dinner together. The rest of our conversation flowed easily between us, eventually covering topics that lifted our spirits and made us feel positive again.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

At one point, Keiyu looked thoughtful and asked, "Imaizumi-san, are your viewers okay with you being late for a live stream? I mean, it's past dinner time already."

I smiled reassuringly and replied, "It's fine, Kurumizawa-san. I already explained to my fans that I've found work, so I won't be streaming daily anymore."

Keiyu chuckled, "Your fans must be quite understanding."

I nodded, "Most of them are, but some were disappointed about the change. They said they'll miss my daily art streams, which I understand."

Just as Keiyu and I finished our dinner together, the bell above the cafe's front door chimed, announcing the arrival of two high school girls. They surveyed the cafe, searching for a table, before stopping in front of ours. Feeling shy, I naturally kept my head down, trying to avoid eye contact.

One of the girls recognized Keiyu and greeted him with surprise. "Kurumizawa-san, having dinner here as well?"

Keiyu greeted them back with a nod. "Hey. Yeah, just a quick meal."

The girls and Keiyu exchanged a few pleasantries before they turned their attention to me. "And who's this? Your girlfriend?" one of them asked.

Keiyu shook his head and replied, "This is Ayase Imaizumi, our classmate from middle school. You don't recognize her? Should be pretty obvious."

Suddenly, their tone of voice changed to that of pure disbelief. "No way! The pink emo girl? Princess depression?" one of them exclaimed.

"Hey, come on now, there's no need to speak like that," Keiyu spoke up.

I hesitantly looked up and my eyes widened in panic as I recognized the faces of the girls who had bullied me in middle school. Memories of my tormented past began to resurface, and I felt my eyes start to moisten.

Keiyu turned to me and asked, concern filling his voice, "Hey, Imaizumi-san, you alright?" He then turned back towards the girls, "Couldn't you have said anything better?"

"What? No way," The girls scoffed and continued. "Wow, we can't believe that you're still trying to play your game, Imaizumi. You're going after Kurumizawa-san next?"

"N-No... I was just..." I murmured as I tried to talk back, but my heart kept me from doing so.

Keiyu's expression then turned to pure disdain. "I said stop that," he warned, his voice firm. "You guys still aren't finished with her even after graduating middle school? Maybe that's why she attended a different high school."

"Kurumizawa-san, have you any idea what this girl does to gain atte-" One of the girls responded, but Keiyu was quick to interrupt her.

"I do, and I don't believe a single thing you guys say about her."

However, the girls didn't back down, but they kept their voices low to avoid causing a scene, "Trying to look pretty and become everyone's favorite, then behind her crappy act is a gloomy and irritating scumbag," one of them hissed.

Keiyu defended me once more. "I said, that's enough."

The girls glared at Keiyu. "What, even you now, Kurumizawa-san? You brainwashed by her disgusting charm or something?" one of them accused.

As their argument escalated, I tried to muster the courage to speak up and stop them, but the words refused to come out. I felt helpless, trapped in my memories, and unable to defend myself.

Keiyu's voice grew louder, his anger was starting to show. "How immature can you be? In your first year of high school and still into talking about others like this? I can't believe that you two are this pathetic."

The girls rolled their eyes. "Pathetic? Nuh-uh. She's the pathetic one here. But whatever, Kurumizawa-san. You're just as pathetic as she is."

As their argument intensified, I could no longer hold back the torrent of emotions threatening to engulf me. But just in time, a waiter approached our table, concern etched on his face. "Is everything alright here?"

Keiyu glanced at me, then back at the waiter, "Yeah, sorry. We're just having a disagreement," he explained, carefully omitting the details about the girls' bullying behavior. He stood up, requesting the bill from the waiter, who promptly fetched it from the cashier.

I trembled in my seat, trying to hold back tears, while the girls watched in disbelief as Keiyu firmly took my hand and led me outside. Before leaving, he shot one last glare at the two girls, his voice dripping with contempt. "You two are disgusting."

We walked away from the cafe, leaving the noisy city streets behind, until we found ourselves in a familiar and quiet residential area. Spotting a nearby small park, we sat down on a bench, our spot only dimly illuminated by a nearby streetlight.

Then, just as Keiyu was about to apologize for the girls' behavior, I finally broke down, unable to suppress the pain of my bullied and troubled past any longer.

Keiyu reached out to wipe away my tears, but I pulled him closer, leaning on his shoulder as I sobbed. "I-I'm s-sorry, K-Kurumizawa-san," I stammered between sobs, feeling ashamed for my emotional outburst.

Keiyu hushed as he gently reassured me. "It's okay, Imaizumi-san. You don't have to apologize. It's alright to cry. I should be the one apologizing..."

As I tried to muffle my cries in the growing darkness of the night, my sobs punctuated by hiccups, Keiyu spoke softly. "Umm, I know we've only just met again, but would it be okay if I stroked your head?"

I nodded, sniffling. "Dummy. Y-You don't have to ask for permission."

He softly chuckled, "I figured," with that, Keiyu tenderly began to stroke my head, comforting me as I cried on his shoulder.

As I continued to lean on Keiyu's shoulder, I felt compelled to apologize for the trouble I had caused him, "I-I'm sorry, Kurumizawa-san, for making you stand up for me like that. But thank you."

Keiyu dismissed my apology with a reassuring smile. "Imaizumi-san, it's one of the only few ways I can make it up to you. I can't let the same thing happen to you again."

"O-Oh... right," My cheeks flushed even deeper, and I remained on Keiyu's shoulder, hiding my face from his view.

After a few moments, my tears finally subsided, and Keiyu gently wiped the remaining moisture from my cheeks with a handkerchief.

Just then, my phone rang. Pulling it out of my pocket I glanced down to see that it was Satoshi calling. I answered, my voice still shaky from the emotional ordeal.

"Aya, are you home yet? Why aren't you streaming?" Satoshi's concerned voice greeted me.

I hiccupped, trying to steady my breathing. "Sato-kun, I have a new stream schedule to accommodate the days I have to work with Kurumi-Kurotsuki-sensei. Did you miss the stream where I announced the changes?"

"Y-Yeah... about that, I think I did," Satoshi sheepishly admitted. I couldn't help but giggle at his reaction.

"I'm on my way home right now," I explained. "I just went with Kurotsuki-sensei to Hikari Suisei to have our draft manuscripts and sketched illustrations reviewed."

"Ah, I see," Satoshi replied, relief evident in his voice. "Welp, be careful on the way home, Aya," he answered back.

"I will, thank you," I replied. And with that, we ended the call.

Keiyu and I sat on the park bench for a few more minutes, allowing me to fully regain my composure.

Then, after a while, I looked over at Keiyu, who let out a gentle sigh and smiled at me, "I'll walk you home," he offered. I happily nodded, and we stood up from the park bench together.

Side by side, we walked home, chatting about the tasks we needed to complete by Saturday.

Once again, I found Keiyu's company to be soothing, his presence calming my heart. Yet, at the same time, my heart would occasionally race as he spoke gently. It was a strange but exciting feeling.

After a few minutes of walking, we arrived in front of my apartment. We exchanged farewells and wished each other a good night.

As Keiyu turned to leave, I called out to him in a soft voice. "Thank you, Kurumizawa-san, for everything today." I smiled warmly at him.

He simply nodded with a smile and walked away. I entered my apartment, closing the front door behind me.

Leaning back against the door, I slid down to the ground, my eyes widening as I processed the level of intimate interaction I had shared with Keiyu today - crying on his shoulder, holding hands as we escaped my bullies. What seemed like minor things felt like it's something major.

I placed my hands over my racing heart, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. In just two days and a half of meeting personally, even though we were just former middle school classmates, I couldn't help but feel that something was beginning to grow.

This realization made me question myself, whether or not these feelings are reasonable, "So unfair... acting all cool like that," I mumbled to myself as I tucked my flushed and flustered face behind my knees.